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You don’t win friends with salad

“You don’t win friends with salad… You don’t win friends with salad…”. I don’t believe this to be true, but I do love a good Simpsons quote.

Whenever I visit family and friends, more often than not, I’m armed with something edible. It’s just what I do.
Not long ago, my friends 7-year-old daughter said to me, quite seriously: “Lucy, you don’t always have to bring food when you come to see us, it’s ok to just bring yourself”. Profound. And then again last weekend, upon being invited to a BBQ: “Lucy, you’re always bringing food, please just bring yourself”. This makes me sound like some kind of food-pusher. Am I a pest? It’s just me living at home, so any opportunity to share my food is welcomed – that’s why I cook – not always for myself but because, for me, feeding people is a wonderful exercise in generosity, an act of nuturing and nourishing, and I love it.

So put simply, I thought I’d share a couple of totally delicious salads (the first two in particular) that I’ve made recently to ‘take-with’ – because they’ve been enjoyed by my friends, and they keep asking me back. So maybe Homer Simpson was wrong.

– Begin by marinating the fennel and onion. Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut the fennel and onion into julienne strips, or any small, bite-sized shape you like. Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours

– Rinse spelt kernels very well in a large pot or bowl, changing the water until it is relatively clear (2-4 times). If possible, let spelt soak in fresh water for up to 12 hours to improve digestive qualities. Drain spelt and place in a pot with 2 cups water. Add a few pinches of sea salt, cover, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until tender, yet chewy (time varies depending on soaking time, but approximately 30-40 minutes). If there is any water left in the pot, simply drain out. If the water evaporates before the spelt is cooked, add a little at a time until it is. Let cool slightly, fluff with a fork and toss with marinated fennel

– Pit olives by squashing them with the flat side of a knife blade, and slice into small pieces. Add olives, fennel flowers, and tarragon, and fold to combine everything. Season to taste, serve and enjoy

– Put the vinegar, onion, and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain away any residual vinegar and discard

– Meanwhile, heat the butter and half of the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the pita and almonds and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring all of the time, until the pita is crunchy and golden brown. Remove from the heat and mix in the sumac, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool

– When you are ready to serve, toss the spinach leaves with the pita mix in a large mixing bowl. Add the dates and red onion, the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice, and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately

– Peel the kohlrabies, cut into 1.5cm dice, put into a large mixing bowl. Set aside and make the dressing

– Put the yoghurt, sour cream, double cream, lemon juice and olive oil in a medium bowl. Add ¼ tsp salt and a healthy grind of pepper and whisk well. Add the dressing to the kohlrabi, followed by the fresh and dried mint and half the watercress. Gently stir and place everything on a serving dish. Dot the remaining watercress on top and sprinkle with the sumac